GEOGRAPHY

Despite progress in establishing equal rights for women, the gender gap persists. In more than 170 countries, women still lack the same rights, protections, and liberties as men. (Nat Geo News)

Take a look at today’s MapMaker Interactive map on women’s representation in parliament to get an idea of what nations are closing part of the gender gap.

Teachers, scroll down for a quick list of key resources in our Teachers’ Toolkit—there are some great lists here today.

Discussion Ideas

• Take a look at today’s MapMaker Interactive, which displays the percentage of women in a nation’s lower house of parliament or legislature. What is a parliament?
  • A parliament, or legislature, is a democratic government’s decision-making body. A parliament or legislature is often a group of representatives (elected or appointed) who are responsible for making laws and other public policy.
  • Some governments are unicameral, meaning there is only one house of parliament. Some governments are bicameral, meaning there are two houses. The United States has a bicameral legislature. The House of Representatives is the lower house of Congress. The Senate is the upper house.

 

• Besides seats in the lower house of parliament, what other political offices might indicate women’s equity in local, regional, or national government?
  • This short report from the Center for American Women and Politics might help. There are two major types of political offices: elected office and appointed office.
    • Some elected offices include:
      • heads of state, such as monarchs, presidents, or prime ministers
      • upper house of parliament
      • governors and state legislators
      • mayors and members of city councils
        • Idea: Use this list to make a map using our MapMaker Interactive’s numbered markers. Where are the biggest cities with women mayors? (Texas!!) Which cities in your state have women mayors?
    • Some appointed offices include:
      • cabinet or ministry-level posts
      • Supreme Court justices

 

• Take a look at today’s MapMaker Interactive. Do any of the “top ten” nations with high numbers of women lawmakers surprise you? (FYI: Here’s where we got our data.)

 

• Take a look at the Nat Geo maps. Besides political representation, how else are women’s rights evaluated in these maps? Read through these fascinating, interactive map-reports from the World Policy Analysis Center (where Nat Geo got its data) for some help.
  • Constitutional rights. Does the constitution take at least one approach to gender equality? Does the constitution guarantee the right to equal pay for equal work based on gender? Does the constitution protect women’s right to vote?
  • Work. Are working women and men guaranteed leave for their children’s health needs? Are there barriers to equal opportunities for women at work?
  • Education. Is education tuition-free? Is education compulsory?
  • Marriage. What is the minimum age of marriage for girls? Under what circumstances can girls be married?

 

TEACHERS’ TOOLKIT
Note: All data is 2015 except Nat Geo’s map layer, which is 2013.

Nat Geo: The Persistent Global Gender Gap in 5 Maps

Nat Geo: Where are women serving in parliament? (map)

The Inter-Parliamentary Union: Women in national parliaments

Center for American Women and Politics: Current Numbers of Women Officeholders

Worldwide Guide to Women in Leadership: Current Woman Leaders

Wikipedia: Women in the U.S. Senate

Center for American Women and Politics: Statewide Elected Executive Women

Center for American Women and Politics: Women Mayors in U.S. Cities

Center for American Women and Politics: High-Level Appointments by President Obama

Center for American Women and Politics: Women on the U.S. Supreme Court

World Policy Analysis Center: Closing the Gender Gap: Maps